


blaze in the dark

by impasgirlfriend



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Based on a Taylor Swift Song, Dorks in Love, Engagement, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Forbidden Love, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Light Angst, Love at First Sight, Mutual Pining, Song: ivy (Taylor Swift)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 08:47:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29930877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/impasgirlfriend/pseuds/impasgirlfriend
Summary: based on the lyrics of ivy by taylor swift
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Kudos: 8





	blaze in the dark

If the princess was a house made of stone, the hero would be the ivy that grows upward it.

How's one to know?

Zelda would meet Link where the spirit meets the bones in a faith forgotten land.

The castle indulged in twilight.

But that was long behind them. 

The two were now inside the castle, free from twilight, in from the snow.

Wintertime was still present in Hyrule.

Link’s hand brought forth an incandescent glow, tarnished but so grand, the triforce of courage marked his hand. When he was near Zelda it shined slightly and as she brought up her own hand to his, marked with the triforce of wisdom, the two shone beautifully. 

Link had come to say his goodbye to the princess, soon to be queen, as he was returning to Ordon.

Zelda didn’t tell him but she was saddened by this news, she had offered him a job as the captain of the royal guard but Link said he couldn’t accept it at the moment, but maybe in the future. 

This gave her a little hope that he would return to her side one day. She didn’t know why this made her happy as she barely knew him but they had a special connection she couldn’t deny, be it the triforce or the fact that she had the blood of the goddess and he was the chosen hero. 

Link made his goodbyes quick and thanked the princess for everything and left. Zelda felt like a hole opened up in her as he went out the door but she had to brush it off and move on. She had no time to sulk and overthink. The castle had already started rebuilding what was destroyed during the twilight and she had hoards of paperwork to do. Her coronation would be this spring and there was no time to waste. 

This was all fine except for one thing that she dreaded, having to find a husband. 

***

Spring was just around the corner and Link still hadn’t returned to the castle. Zelda would be lying if she said she didn’t miss him. 

She thought about him a lot.

Once when she was thinking about possible suitors he sneaked himself into her mind. 

It was ridiculous. 

But she wasn’t opposed to the idea.

Link was a very attractive man and she was sure he was a good person. Brave, ofcourse, kind and funny as in their short time together he even managed to make her laugh a little when he cracked a few jokes to lift their spirits on the way back from defeating Ganondorf.

That’s when the princess found herself blushing. She could hardly be crushing on someone she knew so little about. This made her sad because she wished to have gotten to know him better. Perhaps if he was to ever visit her she will have the chance, she hoped anyway.

She looked out the window in her study, it was time for a tea break, looking through paperwork for hours left her exhausted. She watched as an old widow made her way to the stone, Zelda watched her walk past every day. 

The princess sighed and sat down, she didn’t have to go to the graveyard to grieve, waiting for someone living to come back to her left Zelda distressed enough. 

***

Clover blooms in the fields, spring breaks loose, the time is near. It was only a few days till Zelda’s coronation.

Link knew this.

When he came back to Ordon a few months ago this town didn’t feel like home anymore so he packed up his things and went on a journey exploring all of Hyrule but avoiding one place.

The castle. 

Yet it was the place he wanted to go to most.

Something drew him there. He didn’t know why but if felt like that’s where he belonged.

Link searched everywhere for a similar, stronger, feeling. But nowhere that he visited did he feel what he felt when leaving the castle. 

In denial, he couldn’t imagine the castle being his home. But it wasn’t the castle he longed for, no, but rather the princess living in it. 

Could a person feel like home? 

He didn’t know.

It was ridiculous. 

She was royalty and he was a farm boy from the middle of nowhere. He felt silly imaging if she would share this feeling. 

Hardly, she didn’t seem phased when he left, wouldn’t she say something if she did?

Was the idea that they have a special connection be all in his head? 

He feared coming back to the castle and seeing her again, he feared what he would do or say. He didn’t know if he could pretend he didn’t have these feelings for Princess Zelda.

Yet her opal eyes were all he wished to see. 

***

It was the day the princess would become a queen. 

All the paperwork was done in advance this was just an official ceremony where she would receive the crown and there would be a dinner with all the important people from Hyrule and the surrounding kingdoms. 

Link, being the hero, was important enough to be invited.

Zelda really wished he would be present.

Alone in her bedroom she stood infront of her mirror, the maids just finished getting her dressed, when a knock on the door startled her. 

“You may come in”

She didn’t expect it to be the boy dressed in the famous green ensemble. 

“Hello, Princess” 

Zelda almost tripped turning around when she heard him speak.

“Link, it’s good to see you”

She tried to keep her cool. He nodded in agreement. 

“I wanted to congratulate you before the ceremony...” he started.

“...and say hi...and apologise I guess”

Zelda watched guilt fill his face.

“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting, but if I did I’m sorry and I would love to take you up on your previous offer...”

He could barely keep eye contact with her.

“...that’s if the offer still stands” 

She smiled at him. 

“Ofcourse, I’m just happy to see you again”

Link had to fight off blushing. The princess was happy to see him? he couldn’t believe it.

“It’s almost time for the ceremony, we shall catch up later” 

He nodded. 

The two made their way to the throne room. 

On the way a man was heading in their direction. 

“Zelda, about time I almost had to get you” he shouted as they all met. 

The man was tall with dark hair dressed in royal attire. 

“Who’s this accompanying you?” he spoke.

“Ofcourse, let me introduce you” 

Zelda stood between Link and the man. 

“This is Link, he’s the hero of Twilight” 

Link shook the man’s hand. 

“Link, this is Henry, my fiancé”

The way she said the last part sounded like a cry. But nobody questioned it.

“Hmm, Link, what business do you have in the castle?”

Link went to speak but got cut off by Zelda.

“I invited him to the ceremony...and hired him as the captain of the royal guard.” 

Henry jumped at the last part.

“Shouldn’t you have discussed this with me?”

“No, I made this decision months before, he finally accepted.”

She spoke sternly with confidence.

“Very well, we should get going love”

She nodded. 

“Go find a seat Link, the ceremony will begin soon” 

Zelda and Henry walked off.

Link was left standing. 

Confused?

Angry?

Sad?

Jealous?

The knowledge of Zelda getting married made him feel all sorts of things, even things he never felt before.

He thought about leaving there and then but his body betrayed him as he made his way and found a seat in the back. 

He had to bottle up these feelings, for now.

***

The ceremony and dinner was over and all the guests were in the ballroom listening and dancing to the band that was playing. Link, however, was alone outside on the balcony in the cool spring air. 

His mind alerted him when footsteps were heard from behind. He turned to see the newly crowned Queen of Hyrule walking up to him. 

“Hello Link, not one for parties huh” she chuckled slightly. 

He said nothing, looking anywhere but at her.

“Me neither” Zelda sighed. 

Getting no reaction, she frowned.

“Is everything okay?”

He shut his eyes, he didn’t know how to explain to her why he was upset.

Then he felt warmth in the palm of his freezing hand. 

His eyes fluttered open. Zelda’s hand was in his own. He took it. He couldn’t believe it was promised to another. The ring glaring at him.

Her eyes met his. 

He could see pain in her eyes. 

She pulled away. 

“Oh, I can’t”

She took a step back.

“I apologise, Link, this was highly inappropriate of me”

Fighting back tears, she left the balcony. 

Frozen in time, he stayed there. 

His mind raced to what could’ve happened if she didn’t pull away. Was he right all along? Did she feel this same feeling he did all this time. Whatever this feeling was, he never felt it stronger than in that moment. 

Picking himself up he left the castle and headed for Telma’s bar.

***

Link wished to know the fatal flaw that made Zelda long to be magnificently cursed.

She didn’t have to tell him that she didn’t love Henry, he knew.

It was the next day and the three of them were in the queen’s study. She had asked Link to come advise her with some papers to better Ordon. He agreed but regretted his decision when he realised Henry would be in the room during this. 

Link didn’t understand why her fiancé needed to be there he wasn’t the king, atleast not till the wedding, yet he behaved like he was the ruler of Hyrule and Zelda was just his trophy wife.

There was no way Henry was marrying her for love, clearly he wanted what's only hers. 

Her wisdom, her power, her beauty, her grace.

Link seriously despised this guy but acted as naturally as possible in his presence. 

After a while, Henry announced he was hungry and went to get something to eat. 

Zelda and Link were now left alone.

He watched as she grew aggravated, fidgeting with her pen, she sighed and turned to him.

“Look, I don’t know how to say this...”

Her head hung low and she stared into her lap.

“last night...I don’t know what I was thinking...I shouldn’t have done what I did”

Her hands were shaking. 

Link sat motionless on the chair beside hers. 

“Truth be told, I don’t wish to marry Henry, but I chose to do what’s best for my kingdom” 

He watched her eyes water.

“I’m sorry...I feel so silly...I...I...I just wish you came back sooner”

Tears streamed down her face. 

Link snapped out of his trance and handed her a tissue that was on the desk. 

“I’m sorry too” he finally spoke.

She looked up at him.

“I wanted to come back sooner but I was scared”

“Scared?” 

“To act on my feelings”

The two joined in eye contact. 

Link had no choice but to act on them in this moment, he was the owner of the goddamn triforce of courage, cupping her face in his hands he kissed her and she melted into it.

Spring broke loose, but so did fear.

The two held each other for a moment trying to collect their thoughts and realise what they just did. The sun was setting in the background and a crescent moon would soon appear.

Finally Zelda let out a breath of relief.

“Link, when I’m with you it feels like a dream”

He blushed.

“But then I wake up and realise I can’t have this...”

He frowned.

“I can’t have you”

She pulled away for a second time.

“No, that’s not true, Zelda you already have me”

She fought back a smile.

“That’s sweet but I mean it, I’m engaged”

Link paused for a second.

“What would he do if he found us out?”

She was a little shocked at the question.

“I mean you’re the Queen, would it be so wrong to break off an engagement”

“Yes, yes it would”

“Oh”

The two sat awkwardly in silence.

“I should finish this paperwork, you may leave if you wish” 

And so Link got up and left. 

***

A few days passed, the two didn’t speak much, this particular day the queen had decided to have her tea break in the library, except it wasn’t tea she was drinking. 

Henry had brought a few bottles of wine from his home kingdom and she took one to try.

She sat alone reading a book.

Soon someone entered the room, it was Link, he didn’t like the way they left things and wanted nothing more than to talk to Zelda.

She looked up from her book when she heard him approach her. 

“Hello Link”

“Your Majesty”

“Zelda, please, keep calling me Zelda”

He nodded apologetically and sat down. 

“Would you like some?” she offered him the wine.

“Yes please”

Zelda poured him a glass.

“Thank you” 

“So what brings you here, as far as I remember you’re not big into reading” she said half-jokingly.

“You don’t have to marry Henry” he blurted out.

“I mean not because I want to be with you..I do..but that’s not the....you should marry someone that you love”

She was surprised at his words, sitting up, she knew he was right. 

“So tell me to run” she said fully serious.

He was a little confused.

“Or do you dare to sit and watch what we'll become?”

She took a sip of her soon-to-be-husband's wine.

“Zelda, I just want you to be happy”

She blushed. 

Be it the alcohol or the fact that the coast was clear, it was her who insinuated the second kiss. 

It was longer and sweeter than the one a few days prior in her study. In the warmth of the fireplace of the library the two never felt better than in each other’s arms. 

How's one to know?

They’d live for moments that they stole on begged and borrowed time.

***

Later that day the two took a stroll through the royal gardens. 

“The other day you asked me what would Henry do if he found us out...”

Link nodded.

“...I think he’d be so humiliated that he would burn this castle to the ground” 

“Humiliated?”

“Oh yes, he thinks very highly of himself and I can tell he thinks very little of you...”

Zelda shook her head.

“If he realised I’m cheating on him with someone of no royal status that would severally hurt his ego” she laughed. 

He chuckled softly. 

The forbidden lovers came to a stop at a bench and sat down. 

“But I guess we’ll have the real answer tomorrow when I break off the engagement”

Link was shocked at her words. 

“I thought about what you said and yes I too want myself to be happy and Henry doesn’t make me happy”

Now he was glad with her words.

“I’m the Queen and with you by my side I’m sure I can win this fight”

Joy filled the both of them. 

The queen’s house of stone was completely covered by the hero’s ivy.

**Author's Note:**

> i probably should’ve warned yall all my knowledge of tp comes from zelink fics and the little content ive seen of it bc ive never played the game or watched any playthroughs incase i do play the game in the future. i debated writing this about aoc zelink where zelda would have an arranged marriage but i didn’t. anyways if u read this thank u also cheating bad unless my fav ships do it :p


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